The Only Man He Ever Feared
by TheDailyKnight
Summary: Merthur, AU, Chronology Ignored. Arthur is left by Merlin to face the only man he ever feared. Will he be up to the challenge, or will Merlin live to regret leaving him? Just a random one-shot that floated into my head today. As usual, I am only playing with them. All characters belong to the relevant parties.


**The Only Man He Ever Feared**

Prince Arthur dropped to his knees, the expression of panic passing over his face more quickly than even Morgana could make it. He grabbed Merlin's trouser leg and looked up at him pleadingly.

"Please," he whispered. "Don't leave me. I'll do anything, _anything_ if you'll say that you'll stay."

Merlin looked down at him and rolled his eyes.

"Arthur, let go," he said. "We've been through this before. It has to be this way. How else could it be?"

"I could come with you," said Arthur desperately, his hands leaving Merlin's trousers as if they had been burned. "I could carry your pack, we could see new lands, we could go anywhere you want. Just name it and I'll make it happen. Just _don't leave me here_!"

There was a knock on the door. Instantly, Arthur felt the icy hand of fate tightly on his heart. He stared at the door, his heart pounding as Merlin made his way over to it. He turned and stared.

"Be nice," he mouthed, as Arthur's legs turned to jelly.

No, he couldn't go through with this. Merlin just _couldn't_! How could he leave him alone with such a monster? He was pretty sure that it classed as 'cruel and unusual punishment' somewhere in Camelot's laws. It had to. It was tantamount to torture. Surely it fitted the definition? It lasted for weeks on end and there was never, ever even the faintest hope of reprieve. Damn it, if it didn't already, it would do by the end of his ordeal!

His nerve failed him, as it always did at this point and he made an undignified dash for the wardrobe. In a flash, he was inside it and had slammed the door closed behind him. Outside, he heard the door to the bedroom creak open, an effect he hoped Merlin had fixed. It seemed to him that the footsteps outside and muffled greeting were made all the more sinister by the fact that he couldn't hear quite what the voices were saying.

The door closed again and two pairs of feet made their way slowly to the door. The lock clicked open, unsealing his only protection from what was to come. He heart thundered as the door was opened carefully and he was greeted by a hideous vision of his torment to come.

"Good morning, Sire!" exclaimed George happily. "It's brassy cold outside. Were you looking for something warmer to wear? Allow me to find you something. I put your winter clothes in the other cupboard."

George bustled off, oblivious to the daggers Arthur was shooting at Merlin. Merlin just grinned at him. It would take more than Arthur's will to make that sorcerer spontaneously combust, although that didn't stop the Prince from trying.

"Sire! What have you done to the contents of this wardrobe? Didn't you remember 'The Tidy Song' that I taught you last time I was here?"

Merlin stuffed a fist into his mouth to stop himself from being spontaneously upgraded by Arthur from being in mere Mortal Peril to Eternal Suffering. A little squeak escaped as George added, "_You_ remember, Sire? It was that one we sang together while I was polishing your sword for you? Has Merlin heard it? You have a very good singing voice, you know."

"No, I haven't," managed Merlin, regaining his composure. "But I would _love_ to hear it."

"I'm sure that you wouldn't," replied Arthur.

If looks could kill, Merlin would have died a thousand deaths by now, each more painful and hideous than the previous.

"Oh, _please_, Arthur," he begged, dropping to his knees. "I would so _love_ to hear the song that George taught you. It will keep me all warm and fuzzy on those cold nights when I'm alone and helpless in the woods on the way to mother's house."

Arthur bit back the response about Merlin hardly being helpless. George didn't know of Merlin's powers. He'd been careful to keep it that way. If George found out, he would probably be hassling Merlin for Sparkling Charms to make his already shining door knobs all the more dazzling from now until... well... forever. He had to admit though, it was tempting.

"_You're polishing the big sword now,_" started George, encouraging Arthur to join in.

"_Polishing the big sword now_," echoed Arthur grudgingly as Merlin struggled not to let his sides split.

"_Oh, that's pretty_!" exclaimed George.

And so it continued. Merlin couldn't believe that _anybody_ could sing a song about brass and polishing and _not_ be able to see the... he stopped himself from thinking 'irony'. It was just a step too far in the metallic humour vein. If he carried on down that route, insanity would surely follow. Or he would turn into George. Now that was scary.

"Well, that _was_ pretty, wasn't it, Arthur?" he enthused as they drew the song to its close. "I do hope that I'll hear another when I come back."

He stepped up and kissed Arthur on the lips. He got only the frostiest of responses, although that was still several degrees warmer than he'd anticipated. Arthur was always like this when faced with the prospect of George, even for only a few days.

"I'll be back before you know it, Sire," he said smiling. "Mother will be happy to hear that I'm the Prince-Consort."

George's eyes widened a little.

"Oh, Lordy, nobody told me that!" he exclaimed, bowing to Merlin, who looked at him bemusedly. "Forgive me, my Lord, I will make amends for you when you return."

"Th-there's really no need," said Merlin hurriedly. "Really."

"Oh, I think that there is," said Arthur, cutting off Merlin's protests. "I'm sure that George and I can hold a special evening to celebrate your return, Merlin. I'm sure that George can teach me some _thrilling_ jokes about brass that we can entertain you with."

"You really don't have to go to the trouble," said Merlin, hurriedly.

"Oh, it'll be no trouble at all to see the look on your face when it's over," replied Arthur, kissing Merlin a little more tenderly this time.

"Now, off you trot like a good little Prince-Consort," he added, giving Merlin a push towards the door. "I can't wait to see you when you get back."

And, he had to admit, it was true. The following days were going to be hell, but now that he had somebody to inflict it on at the end, he didn't feel quite as bad about them.


End file.
